Old Felixstowe Parish Nursing – annual review for 2025
The Parish Nursing team has consolidated its work in the parish over the past 12 months.
We have provided 160 one-to-one sessions to clients, including 33 new clients. We have supported 219 clients in group settings – Pop up Shop, Margery Girling House, OFCA and a cancer support group. Team members also assist those administering home communions, and one maintains contact with housebound members of the parish enabling them to support us with ongoing prayer. The provision of support through Lunching Together at The White Horse has been spasmodic because of changes in licensees and their various operational problems.
This year Helen led the team in providing a very successful Lovely Legs and Fantastic Feet session at OFCA, advising people on ways of improving their leg and foot health. We have been invited to repeat this session in the future.
By the end of the year, we had eight volunteers working part time on the team, in a range of delivery, admin and support roles. The team members are gradually finding their individual niches within the team. A new volunteer has recently come on board, but most excitingly, the PCC agreed to appoint a part-time paid Lead Parish Nurse. Dana Hulea, who is a registered nurse working in Ipswich, is currently undertaking all the additional necessary training for her to work in this role in the community.
We have also strengthened the professional supervisory framework for team members and reviewed aspects of best working practice.
The main reasons why clients approach us is for advice for physical or mental health problems. Sometimes we can assist directly and in other cases clients are signposted to, or referred to, more suitable professionals. All clients are routinely offered prayer. Feedback from clients shows how much they appreciate the service we offer, not only for the practical advice but also for our intentional listening and the way our support reduces their isolation.
We give thanks for God’s blessing and guidance for the work of the PN Team and look forward to further consolidating our activities as our new Lead Parish Nurse settles into the team.
We would like to thank at of the churches in Felixstowe for their continued prayer support for this service